G.I. Joe Vol. 2 #1 Review

The war between Cobra and the Joes begins anew.

Cobra Commander is dead. Long live Cobra Commander. That pretty much sums up IDW's approach to the relaunched G.I. Joe line. The various lieutenants of Cobra are now competing to see who can wipe out the most Joes and win the honor of replacing Cobra Commander. It's a simple way to escalate the war between the two organizations.

The issue Chuck Dixon and his fellow writers will have to address is this -- none of the nine candidates have shown they're capable matching the late Commander when it comes to Machiavellian tenacity and simple cool factor. Dixon focuses mainly on The Baroness in this first issue, helping the story get off to a strong start. With other Joes like Duke and Scarlett back in the forefront, the series has more A-list appeal than the previous volume was generally able to boast. Unfortunately, while Dixon ratchets up the body count considerably, the deceased are all culled from the D-List crowd.

Dixon attempts to focus equally on characterization, exposition, and action in this issue. The blend doesn't always work so well, leading to a slightly fractured feel. Still, it's nice that the bloodshed can be offset by a look at the inner workings of Cobra and something as innocent as a tale of unrequited love in the Pit.

In theory, bringing Javier Saltares on board the series means a higher visual standard for G.I. Joe. In practice, only certain pages live up to Saltares' artistic potential. Some panels brim with detail and energy, while others appear flat and lifeless. Bizarrely, Saltares improperly renders the Cobra logo in every instance it appears. Storytelling focus from Dixon and greater artistic consistency from Saltares are needed to allow Vol. 2 to meet its true potential.